Paterson dropped by Hadden

Nick de Luca will make his Scotland debut in the clash with France - but Chris Paterson has been left out of the side for Sunday…

Nick de Luca will make his Scotland debut in the clash with France - but Chris Paterson has been left out of the side for Sunday's clash at Murrayfield.

Coach Frank Hadden confirmed that 23-year-old Edinburgh player De Luca will start at centre alongside Andrew Henderson, who has been passed fit to add some ballast to the midfield.

But it is the omission of Paterson, who has been struggling for game time at Gloucester, which is the biggest surprise. Rory Lamont plays at full-back with Simon Webster and Nikki Walker on the wings.

Hadden said: "A lot of people focus on the XV but as far as I'm concerned as a coach the emphasis is on the 22 and if you look at my track record I have made full use of the 22. Chris Paterson is still an integral part of the Scotland squad."

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In the other area of concern, the back row, John Barclay will play at openside flanker with Dave Callam drafted in at number eight to fill in for Simon Taylor, who has a broken thumb. Ally Hogg is not included in the pool of 22.

Scotland: R Lamont (Sale Sharks); N Walker (Ospreys), N De Luca (Edinburgh), A Henderson (Glasgow Warriors), S Webster (Edinburgh); D Parks (Glasgow Warriors), M Blair (Edinburgh); A Jacobsen (Edinburgh), R Ford (Edinburgh), E Murray (Northampton Saints), N Hines (Perpignan), J Hamilton (Leicester Tigers), J White (Sale Sharks, captain), J Barclay (Glasgow Warriors), D Callam (Edinburgh). Replacements: F Thomson (Glasgow Warriors), G Kerr (Edinburgh), S MacLeod (Llanelli Scarlets), K Brown (Glasgow Warriors), C Cusiter (Perpignan), C Paterson (Gloucester), H Southwell (Edinburgh).